The List: 29 Nov 2001 (Issue 429)

Another entry in the ‘FX are more important than stOry' school of filmmaking (see Godzilla and Hollow Man for further examples of this burgeoning sub-genre). Ivan Reitman, of Ghostbusters fame. offers a slick but hollow ride as constantly evolving aliens arrive on our planet on the back of a meteor. This is big budget. big name stuff with David Duchovny, Orlando Jones. Julianne Moore and Seann William Scott

I The Grinch

along for the ride. and there’s even a cameo

by Ghostbuster Dan

Aykroyd. Sure it keeps you entertained. but it's like having sex with a

(15) 102 mins .00. Lukas Moodysson's hilarious follow up to Show Me Love takes a swipe at the good life of communal living in Sweden circa 1975. When Elizabeth and her kids leave her

Released: 19th November 2001 1. Some of the many extras included on the DVD for- ; mat are. ‘Making Of' and ‘Who School‘ featurette. Faith Hill Music video and DVD-ROM featuring

“Max's Playhouse'.

Madonna - Drowned World Tour Live Released: 19th November 2001

Your chance to see Madonna's much talked about stage show of this year. with extras.

Royle Family - Complete Series 3 Released: 19th November 2001

The latest series of one of today‘s biggest UK come- ';

dy titles is now available On DVD.

Ali G - Bling Bling

Released: 26th November 2001

The third Ali G DVD and the one containing the most unseen footage. including newly filmed inter- views from the United Kingdom and United States.

Billy Connolly - Live

Released: 26th November 2001 The DVD version includes an extra 12 minutes of

footage.

Evolution - HMV Exclusive Sleeve Released: 26th November 2001

Evolution was a UK box office smash, HMV will have '.

an exclusive slipcase DVD cover.

Tomb Raider

Released: 26th November 2001 Brought to life by Angelina Jolie. Lara Croft‘s Tomb

Raider took close to $313 million at the box office this jj

summer. amidst a mass of hype. DVD format

includes among many extras. U2's ‘Elevation‘ music f

video.

02 - The Elevation Tour

Released: 26th November 2001

A must for all U2 fans. the 2-disc set includes 19 rocking songs performed at various venues.

1 10 THE LIST 29 NOv‘13 Dec 2001

abusive husband and seek sanctuary in her brother’s commune. they are confronted with a radically different

t domestic life. Elizabeth

readily embraces the open relationships. dope-smoking and political discussions. while her kids suffer in silence under the ban of war toys and cooked meat. The humour comes from acutely embarrassing moments. such as the ‘airing' of genitalia during breakfast. into which Moodysson manages to slip a few home truths about family life. (Metrodome VHS rental) (Miles Fielder)

COMEDY DRAMA LATE NIGHT SHOPPING

(15) 88 mins .00.

Late night:

Shopping

The pressure lumbered upon the makers of Late Night Shopping has been considerable. Declared “the new Trainspotting and the ‘SaviOur of British film' at various points. this adds up to inflated expectations for movie- goers and unnecessary strain on the people who get little help as it is: British filmmakers.

What starts off as a simple premise — four nighthawks in dead end jobs hanging out at an all-night cafe sharing thoughts. concerns. secrets and stories — soon gets side-tracked in favour of an entertaining Cary- Grant-romance-meets- Martin-and-Lewis caper movie plot shift.

Despite the ‘in the diner' setting this. is not a cinematic navel gazing session either on or off screen. and as the quartet ’s lives become slowly more entwined. their seemingly dead end existences all seem to have potential to

ADVENTURE

THE MUMMY RETURNS

(12) 130 mins 00.

Spectacular but hopelessly derivative

From a favourite cosy jumper on a chilly day to a cooling pint on a hot summer afternoon, we all like familiarity, don’t we? And while we’re not supposed to go to the cinema or rent videos with the same logic, we can’t help going back to what we know and enjoy (some might argue multiplexes and Blockbusters give us no choice). A perfect case in point is The Mummy Returns, an enjoyable romp, but one that ultimately

disappoints.

In keeping with the adventure serials of the 19305 that Lucas and Spielberg hold so dear, American hunk Rick (Brendan Fraser) skips off to the Middle East to hunt for some artefact or other with scant regard for local history. Evie (Rachel Weisz), now Rick’s missus, and their young son Alex are both in tow, and our heroes are soon being menaced by evil- doers, hell-bent on resurrecting the Egyptian priest from the first film, plus fellow mythical being the Scorpion King.

The scale of the special effects is suitably spectacular — armies of dog- men, seas of scorpions and giggling, undead pygmies - but the impact is lessened on the small screen. Fraser and Weisz are likeable as ever, while John Hannah bumbles along admirably as the comic sidekick and WP wrestling star Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson stretches his acting ability by flexing his muscles and both his eyebrows as the Scorpion King.

However, much of the comedy and tension has been recycled from the first movie, a film that was derivative of the already derivative Indiana Jones trilogy. This is a recycling job that should maybe have just been

binned. (Mark Robertson)

I Available from Sat 7 Dec through Columbia TriStar on VHS and DVD rental.

change.

The four leads perform well despite occasional straightjacketing from their tightly scripted characterisations. and the dialogue and pacing meaning it sails along at a heady rate. Any rare moments of flatness in the performances or execution are the exception, not the rule. A highly watchable feature debut.

(Mark Robertson)

DRAMA

YOU CAN COUNT ON ME (15) 109 mins .00

Penetrating family drama or jumped—up soap opera? I tend to think the latter in this tale of a single mum (Laura Linney) and her errant younger brother (Mark Ruffalo). trying to get along in Nowheresville. USA. after his return from a penodinthe wilderness. She's

a i)

surrounded by socially immature males — her son has an excuse. the grown men less so — and only by Cutting her ties can she find stability. Her brother. meanwhile. sets out with the best of intentions but messes up every time. It‘s a pleasant enough character study. and very well acted. but writer/director Kenneth Lonergan sets the stakes too low for it to be truly dramatic. (Momentum VHS rental) (Mark Fisher)